Twenty-four weeks pregnant is what?  – Like, 6 months?  Which, of course, sounds way cooler when you think of a 9 month time span rather than on a 10 month span.  Regardless, I’m a little over halfway and according to some doctors, I just finished my 2nd trimester (according to others, I have a couple more weeks).

I finally found a doula (which I mentioned in a previous post), and she’s really awesome and wonderful and I’m not just saying that because she totally reads my blog.  She really is great, and I look forward to every bit of time I get to spend with her.  While I feel like I’m basically floating around in the rest of my life with no clue as to what will happen next, it’s nice for the control-freak-list-maker inside to know that NO MATTER WHAT I will have my doula present when things begin to get a bit hectic.  That, for me, is HUGE.

I’ve started taking Fish Oil capsules for my dry skin – Okay, actually I’ve taken them ONCE but OH.MY.GOSH.  GROSS.  You know that nasty fishy tasting muck?  Imagine burping it up all day.  And night.  MMMM.  Yum.  I skipped yesterday, but today I think I’ll try them again…although I’m not looking forward to it.  Then, of course I decide to use my BFF Google to search “Are fish oil capsules supposed to make you burp?” and found a little nugget of information that suggested that only rancid fish oils make you burp.  I have doubts that my favorite health food store would sell me a brand that uses rancid oils, but the thought as I choke down the pills is enough for my body to immediately want to refuse the pill.  It’s only the thought of having normal skin again that keeps me even considering it (since I haven’t actually taken another yet).

The baby is quite active these days with actual kicks and punches to my bladder.  Lots of awesome thingsmustbestretching type of cramps and pains and that painful pressure that comes and goes and kind of feels like the times when Lorelei gets these funny notions to stand on my belly because it obviously looks FUN!

Now, to switch to Lorelei – who is doing wonderfully and continues to amaze me on a daily basis with things she’s picked up.  She’s going through a bit of food refusal over the past few days and I’m not sure if her tummy hurts or if it’s just another stage.  One of her newest favorites for playtime has become “coloring” in her books and right now we’re working on learning which books she’s allowed to color in and which she’s not.  She’s also been learning and practicing some basic manner signs and has been doing great with those.  Occasionally she’ll form phrases that totally surprise me because for the most part she tends to stick with the same words which sometimes makes me wonder if she’s behind on language (although she admittedly talks more around people she knows very well).  Small tantrums are becoming more frequent, especially when she’s tired or frustrated.  Sharing is…different.  She has begun requiring others to sign or say “please” sometimes before she’ll hand the object over, which doesn’t always go over well when people don’t expect it.  Then, of course, she’s started “testing” a bit more but tends to pay attention when we take on a serious tone and use more than just one of her names.

Today, we thinned out her toys in the Living Room so she can actually see what she has – I’m hoping that she’ll be able to play more effectively with them now and perhaps it’ll take care of some of the frustration-related temper tantrums that have begun.

Welcome back!